• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Emerging Scholars Blog

InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network

DONATE
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Our Bloggers
    • Commenting Policy
  • Reading Lists
  • Scholar’s Compass
    • Scholar’s Compass Booklet
    • View Recent Posts
  • Connect
    • Membership
    • Events
    • Donate
    • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Reading Lists / The Four Loves / Love Your Academic Discipline / Navigating Beginnings: Glory-Seeking Ministry in the Academic Life (Scholar’s Compass)

Navigating Beginnings: Glory-Seeking Ministry in the Academic Life (Scholar’s Compass)

September 9, 2014 by W. Brian Lane 2 Comments

Image courtesy of markuso at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of markuso at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s glory, as the waters cover the sea. — Habakkuk 2:14 (HCSB)

Reflection

I didn’t want a career in the university world. That’s not how you were expecting this devotional to start, is it?

My original intention when I began studying physics as a university freshman was to become a high school physics teacher. Then, I became involved in campus ministry (with my weeknights full of meetings and my backpack full of gospel tracts) and fell in awe over Bible passages like the one above. God’s glory, I came to learn, is the purpose for which we are created, and his people need servants to help them live out that purpose. This, I learned was the foundation of Christian ministry.

But while I had learned a good foundation of Christian ministry, I had not embraced a wide enough scope: I thought that the only meaningful way I could live out this ministry was to be a pastor, missionary, or campus ministry staff member. By my junior year, I was fairly certain that meant I needed to head to seminary after graduating. One question haunted me in the midst of this certainty: What am I supposed to do with my love for physics, and for seeing others enjoy it?

It was a fateful trip to the Christian Study Center of Gainesville that taught me that meaningful ministry—helping others learn to live for God’s glory—can take place in any vocation, and that the university world particularly needs scholars and educators with this view of ministry.

But how? How is teaching classes in a technical field like physics a form of ministry? What about conducting research that the majority of the population will never read about? What about—shudder—serving on all those committees?

As I navigate these questions each semester, I find myself returning to three ways my career in the university is a venue for ministry:

  1. Passionately seeking God’s glory as revealed in his created world. All academics study some aspect of the world, which means all academics get to see God’s glory as revealed in the world. A life of Christian ministry in academia, then, is a life of glory-hunting, and when we find that glory and enjoy it, we are transformed and can pass along the experience to others.
  2. Helping our students develop as God’s image-bearers. As educators, we are charged not just to transmit information to our students, but to develop them as professionals, leaders, innovators, and ultimately as people. As Christians, we believe that people (in all of these roles and more) are God’s image-bearers. Regardless of whether our students share our Christian faith, when we help them develop and mature, we are helping to spread God’s glory in a world filled with his image-bearers.
  3. Supporting Christian students. Each year, one or two Christian students in my classes learn that we share the same faith, and it’s amazing to see how that commonality with one of their professors makes them seem more comfortable at the university and more inspired to discuss their faith with classmates. I have been able to encourage these students as they struggle with faith and science and seek to discern their callings. It’s exciting to see God’s glory magnified in their lives by these conversations.

As we begin another year of teaching, research, and service, let’s keep in mind that God’s glory is everywhere in the academic world, and that viewing our vocations with eyes that look for God’s glory will infuse our activities with a common theme of value. To help us maintain this mindset, below are two questions and a prayer to consider. . .

Questions

  • How have you seen God use you for his glory in your vocation?
  • What opportunities for glory-seeking ministry do you expect to see this academic year?

Prayer

A Scholar’s Prayer by Adam Omelianchuk (2.7.2011). A university faculty prayer inspired by the Chorister’s Prayer of the Royal College of Church Music. Adapted by the CS Lewis Foundation:

Bless, O Lord, us your servants,

Who are called to scholarly vocations.

Grant that what we apprehend with our minds

and profess through our words

May be grounded in truth

and offered confidently

with humility

to the greater good and well being

of our students, our colleagues,

our academic communities

and the world at large,

through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen

— http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2011/02/a-scholars-prayer

About the author:

W. Brian Lane
Posts

W. Brian Lane received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Florida in 2008 and is now a Professor of Physics at Jacksonville University. His favorite classes to teach include Electromagnetic Theory and Technical Communication. He has also occasionally taught adult Sunday School classes, and produces videos for his YouTube channel Let’s Code Physics. Whether at church, in the university, or on YouTube, Brian enjoys teaching with interactive engagement practices with an eye toward mentoring learners. @WBrianLane

    This author does not have any more posts.

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • More
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: Christ and the Academy, Love Your Academic Discipline, Scholar's Compass Tagged With: C.S. Lewis Foundation, campus ministry, Chorister’s Prayer of the Royal College of Church Music, Christian Study Center, Christian Study Center of Gainesville, creation, devotional, Faculty, faith and vocation, Imagebearer, Love Your Academic Discipline, Ministry, Navigating Beginnings, physics, professor, Scholar's Compass, science and faith, spiritual formation, The Four Loves

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. keseaton says

    September 17, 2014 at 10:53 pm

    I really like #3 above! It is so true – finding connections with other believers in the academy is so refreshing, and a good reminder to encourage one another in our respective callings.

    Reply
  2. keijo jorma leppioja (@rintaluoma) says

    February 13, 2015 at 11:19 am

    Yes and amen to living that pleasing the Father in heavien in good deeds and helping our neighbor to be saved and encourgae in life with many obstacles and worry and darkness but the lord is naswer to troubles in joy today,thanks and bless and pray,keijo sweden

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Become a Member

Membership is Free. Sign up and receive our monthly newsletter and access ESN member benefits.

Join ESN Today

Scholar’s Compass Booklet

Scholar's Compass Booklet

Click here to get your copy

Top Posts

  • The Mechanism of Creation - The View from Science, Pt. 2
  • Faith and Reason, Part 2: Augustine
  • The Message of Genesis 1
  • A Prayer for Those Finishing a Semester
  • Faith and Reason, Part 3: Aquinas

Facebook Posts

Facebook Posts

Footer

About Us

The Emerging Scholars Network (ESN) is a national network within InterVarsity’s Graduate & Faculty Ministries which supports those on the academic pathway as they work out how their academic vocation serves God and others. We encourage and equip undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and early career faculty as they navigate each stage of their academic vocation and transition to the next step in or beyond the academy.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Recent Posts

  • “Agony”
  • Forgiveness
  • Confession

Article Categories

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Contact Us
Member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
Copyright © 2023 - InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA ®. All rights reserved.

InterVarsity, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, and the InterVarsity logo are trademarks of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and its affiliated companies.